Music Tames the Beast
by owlhipster
Summary: GerAus, Au, Ludwig follows the music for once in his life and discovers Edelstein.


Ludwig sat in the board room of the Hotel quietly. He was working on some papers, filling in some blanks. It was hard work, but he didn't mind at all. He didn't have anything else to do, did he? He wasn't interested in parties or in hanging out with friends. He sat there bored out of his mind. He took a quick glance at his empty coffee mug, "I might as well refill it." He mumbled and grabbed the cup. His head was pounding, and his eyes were hurting from the endless black lines on white paper. He made his way into the kitchen, a small room across the hall. The coffee was brewing but it wasn't done yet, and meetings didn't start until three. Ludwig, at first against it, decided to explore the hotel.  
It wasn't against the hotel rules or anything. He left his black coffee mug in the kitchen and left for the hall. The halls were grand and extravagant, covered with paintings. The crown molding also seemed to be brushed with gold foil. He continued walking admiring the art, but stopped when he heard a melody. It seemed to haunt him, as it played beautifully around him. Ludwig didn't want to follow, but his head over powered him. He needed to follow it. His feet moved to the romantic notes of the music, each one lead him further into a performance hall.  
There was no one there, except a black piano, it's back facing the audience. The piano's keys were being played echoing in the hall. He wondered if there was someone there. He walked up to the stage, looking for that someone playing.  
He climbed up the side stairs to see a man in a wheel chair. His eyes were shut, his chocolaty hair a mess, his fingers lost in a musical symphony. Ludwig didn't not want to disturb him. He sat down on the stage's wooden stairs and waited for him to finish. The man played the notes furiously. Then the music came to a sudden stop with clash of a key. The man took a deep breath and looked at the blond haired man sitting at the side stairs. "Why are you here?" He asked his voice stern. The man had violet eyes which were filled with anger. "I just heard the music. I wanted to meet the one playing it." Ludwig replied his head down. The man blew his hair out of his eyes. "Come here," he said ushering the German to come up on stage. Ludwig stood up and walked to the man. The man extended his arm, "My name is Mr. Edelstein, young man." Ludwig sook the man's hand. But why did he call him young? And why was he so stern? "I'm sorry if I disturbed you. I was just curious." He should be getting back now. Mr. Edelstein looked at him, "Well then. Come with me young man." Mr. Edelstein started to roll his chair into the back stage. The German followed him sighing, he wasn't going to get out of this easily. He took a glance at his watch 2:55. "Mr-" The German tried to say only to be cut off by the other. "Be quiet, you asked me who I was, now I shall explain, dear-" his hand made a circling motion, asking the German to speak .  
"Ludwig-" he was cut off again.  
"Ludwig like Ludwig Deutsch?" The man asked Ludwig.  
He nodded, "Except, I cannot paint."  
Edelstein looks at him puzzled, "Are you by any chance, German?"  
Ludwig nodded, "How did you guess?"  
"Something about the way you talk seemed slightly monotone and boring."  
Ludwig never noticed the way he talked until now. He put his hand to his throat. "Anyway," Edelstein continued, "Ive been living here almost all my adult life, or as much as I can remember from it. Go get a chair, this might take a while." He pointed to a plastic white chair lying by itself. Ludwig picked up the chair and sat across Edelstein. Ludwig crossed his legs and rested his chin on his arm while leaning forward. Edelstein liked to use his arms while talking, he kept talking about Austria, and how music is the reason he kept fighting. He wasn't clear about his legs for some reason although. Ludwig paid attention for most of the conversation, using every bit of concentration he could trying to figure out why exactly he was here in the first place.


End file.
